Planned Parenthood astroturfing at Utah college
Planned Parenthood is recruiting one student at Weber State University to go undercover to launch a “reproductive justice” club on campus.
The “Students for Choice Club President” will be paid to recruit members for a nondescript “pro-choice” club on campus that will actually be under the control and direction of the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, according to a recent job posting.
Since Weber State does not currently have an active pro-choice club on campus—as school officials confirmed to Campus Reform on Tuesday—the new hiree will work up to 20 hours per week to start one, earning an hourly wage of $12.36.
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Once launched, the club will operate as a “reproductive justice” advocacy club, with no direct mention of Planned Parenthood, and will execute various informational events to educate the study body about “reproductive rights and healthcare.”
Instead of using funding from Planned Parenthood, the Students for Choice Club President will be tasked with developing and executing “a plan to access and utilize financial support from [Weber State],” according to job description.
As previously reported, more than 300 universities in the United States have Planned Parenthood-sponsored clubs, most of which eschew the Planned Parenthood label in favor of names like “Students for Choice,” “Feminists United,” or “Students for Reproductive Justice.”
In contrast to its approach at Weber State, however, the organization indicates that it relies on student initiative when establishing its other clubs.
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When reached by Campus Reform, a Weber State spokeswoman said there is no policy barring organizations like Planned Parenthood from coming onto campus, even if they attempt to launch or sponsor clubs under false pretenses.
“Any local non-profit is welcome to engage with WSU following any applicable regulations; community engagement is at the core of our mission,” the spokeswoman said.
Matt Lamb, spokesman for Students for Life—the largest organization of pro-life students in the United States—condemned Planned Parenthood’s efforts in an interview with Campus Reform.
“This position is part of Planned Parenthood’s cycle, of pushing abortions onto students, and lobbying for more money, all while claiming they are out there helping women,” said Lamb, adding that the club’s focus on “reproductive justice” is misleading.
“Justice is supposed to mean the equal treatment of all people; yet reproductive justice is nothing more than a code word for abortion, which says that we can end the life of a preborn child without regard to its rights,” Lamb pointed out.
[RELATED: University hiring students to promote abortion rights]
The student hiree from Weber State must have a “demonstrated commitment to reproductive justice, social justice, and student organizing/activism.”
In addition to paying them up to $243 per week for their troubles, Planned Parenthood boasts that it also offers a “comprehensive benefits package,” though it does not specify which benefits would be available to the Club President.
Campus Reform reached out to the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah for comment on their new position, but did not receive a response in time for publication. The national Planned Parenthood office also did not respond to multiple inquiries on whether it is common practice for regional offices to hire students to promote its organization.
Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Toni_Airaksinen
